One Day, Best Friends will Inevitably Fall in Love
by 3LauraLeone
Summary: Draco Malfoy and Amy Rookwood. Two children of known Death Eaters. They've been close friends since they were little. This is their 6th year at Hogwarts.
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE: An Annual Ball.

Tonight was the night when Lucius Malfoy held his annual end of summer ball, it was the 30th of August, just two days before Amy Rookwood would return to Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry, where she would be starting her 6th year, along with Draco Malfoy, Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bullstrode, Blaise Zabini, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle.

Arriving at the front door, Amy and her mother were soon let into the infamous Malfoy Manor, by one of the Malfoy's house elves who took their coats before ushering them into the main room where the ball was to be held. As soon as they'd crossed the threshold, the elf disapparated, and Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy greeted them. "Ah Mrs. Rookwood how very kind of you to come, I feared that we would not be seeing you this evening given recent circumstances" Lucius Malfoy greeted with a polite smile on his lips. Mrs. Rookwood gave a somewhat forced smile and replied "Don't be daft Lucius, we attend every year, just because certain events haven't fallen in our favor over the past few months does not mean we would not attend." Lucius nodded, agreeing with what she'd pointed out to him, just as the doors behind them opened again, causing Lucius to excuse himself. Victoria Rookwood smiled kindly as Narcissa Malfoy rolled her eyes half heartedly at her husband "Well Viccy by any account I am pleased you came, I don't know if I could of stood around all night playing host and listening to Mrs. Parkinson all night, without wanting to tell her to be quiet" she gave a small chuckle which Victoria shared. "Great, the Parkinson's are here" Amy muttered under her breath, causing Narcissa to turn her attention towards her "Well don't you just look splendid Amy" she exclaimed, stepping back a pace in order to get a full view of her "I don't think I would of recognized you had your mother not been standing here" she added, "Why the change?" she questioned, in reference to Amy's hair, which, several days previously when she'd been at Malfoy manor had been almost as white as Lucius', Amy simply shrugged in reply "As much as I like having white blonde hair, being a brunette just seems to suit me more" she explained "Well dear, as I said, it looks very nice, and you yourself look simply stunning" Narcissa replied. Amy smiled politely in reply as Narcissa then proceeded to whisk her mother away, telling her that Draco was surely to be around somewhere.

With a sigh she sidled over to where she knew she could get a drink, avoiding being asked to dance as the tempo of the music changed from a slow song to something much more energetic, before casting her eye over the current people in the makeshift ballroom. Her eyes only had to land on several of the people to know that many death eaters were in attendance tonight. Turning back to the bar she collected her glass of pumpkin juice just as two beefy looking boys appeared at her side, easily towering over her small height, but not seeming to realize who she was, as the last time they'd set eyes on her, she had long straight white blonde hair that fell to somewhere just below the middle of her back, and tonight her hair was brown, and styled in elaborate curls that fell to just below her shoulder blades. "Crabbe, Goyle" she spoke in greeting "Didn't your parents ever tell you that it's rude to ignore someone?" she demanded, only receiving a grunt from one or the other as her eyes scanned the heads of the guests, searching for white blonde, after all, if his make believe body guards were at the bar, then he had to be heading over here too.

After receiving no real response from either Crabbe or Goyle, she turned to face them, only to be met by someone much less bulkier "Draco" she said, slightly surprised by the fact he'd managed to creep up on her without her noticing. She'd always been able to tell when someone was sneaking up on her, her dad had taught her from a young age, before he'd been arrested. "You look surprised to see me Rookwood, although I don't imagine as to why as it is my house" he drawled in an almost bored voice, whilst she rearranged her features, effectively shutting him, and anyone else out, and stopping them reading her emotions freely. Amy smirked "Well, I have every right to be surprised when you're over here when I'm sure you could find someone else to entertain other than me" she replied, before adding "And I don't know if you've heard, but apparently Pansy and her family are here, so why aren't you playing host with them?" she queried, pleased to see a flicker of displeasure at the idea of spending time with Pansy pass across his face, causing him to roll his eyes "You know as well as I do that she can be terribly boring and monotonous" he declared giving Amy a look that clearly said '_I'm sure we've had this conversation before_', to which Amy just shrugged "I'm simply surprised you aren't in her clutches" she told him truthfully, to which Draco shook his head "Unfortunately for her, I thought that I should spend time with one of my eldest friends, seeing as I haven't had a chance to see her much during this last holiday" "and whose fault is that" she snapped under her breath, not sure if he heard her, but her question was answered by him simply raising his eyebrow.

Grabbing his drink from the side Draco offered her his arm, which after only a moment's hesitation she took, letting him lead her through the current dance floor spinning her briefly under his arm and out into the entrance hall, and into a dead silence after the upbeat tempo of the music in the ball room, and then through a door by the elaborate marble staircase without question.

The room he had led her to was something of a small banquet hall. "What are we doing here?" Amy enquired, although it was rather obvious as this was the room that the main meal would be held in later that evening. "Like I said, I'd like to be able to spend some time with my friend before school starts and we're bogged down with homework" Draco explained "and everybody will be moving in here in about five minutes to eat whatever it is mother asked the house elves to prepare" he added, and, as Amy observed him, she could see that his features had softened, meaning that he'd let down some of the walls he'd built that were designed to keep everybody out, the walls that kept his expression blank and emotionless. For at least five minutes she'd get to talk to the Draco that wasn't trying to be the perfect son and heir to the Malfoy fortune.


	2. Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

Sitting upon her four poster bed, Amy's eyes scanned her trunk, checking she had everything she would need to start her sixth year at Hogwarts School of Witch Craft and Wizardry. Her school books were spread out among her clothes along with several other books she'd removed from her family's private library, situated on the third floor, which was more commonly known as the attic. Her eyes then dragged over the assortment of clothes she'd picked out from her large walk in wardrobe, before they flickered to the open doors which showed her the vast amount of clothes, mainly dresses and skirts that she would be leaving behind. Letting her eyes wander back over her trunk, she remembered her mother had put a weightless charm and had magically adjusted the size of it so it would be able to hold more things, and also feel feather light when she picked it up.

Glancing out of the window, the fact she wouldn't see much only told her that there were still more than a few hours to go before she and her mother would have to leave to catch the train at 11 o clock on platform 9 and ¾. The truth was, she hadn't slept that night and she knew she wouldn't be getting any sleep in the few hours of darkness that were left, but she already knew that by the time she would be sat in the great hall, surrounded by her fellow slytherins, she would feel the fatigue creeping upon her, and as soon as her head hit her silk emerald green pillow in the dormitory, she would be fast asleep. Laying back down on the covers of her bed, she lay back her hand automatically finding the book she was currently reading, fingers flicking effortlessly towards the page with the folded corner, and that is how she stayed, until her alarm told her it was time to start getting ready.

At exactly eleven o'clock on the dot, the train whistled, and from the compartment she sat in, Amy turned her head to look out of the window, her eyes catching with her mother's briefly, as she raised her hand, waving ever so slightly before the train rounded a corner. Augustus Rookwood never came to see her off on September the 1st, but she understood his reasons, and there was always a letter waiting for her on her pillow when she reached her room.

With platform 9 and ¾'s no longer in sight. Goodbyes over, she stretched her legs out in front of her propping her feet onto the opposite seats in the carriage. They only just reached as she was fairly petite. So she sat, waiting until she heard the compartment door slide open, and shut again. She only had to wait a few minutes until this happened and when it did, a familiar figure with white blonde hair, and someone Amy actually considered rather good looking, until he opened his mouth and spoke, flanked by his two cronies, whose IQ's amounted to very little between them, brain definitely being over thrown by brawn in this case.

"Crabbe, Goyle" she spoke with indifference as she acknowledged the two would be body guards "Malfoy" she continued, knowing that he would hear the underlying annoyance in her voice, even if nobody else did," Where's your usual lap dog?" she questioned, referring to the fact that one Pansy Parkinson wasn't at his side, cooing over him like some love sick puppy, which in reality she was. "Not that it's any of your business Rookwood" he spat, showing an equal amount of annoyance in his voice as he spoke her last name "But Parkinson was delayed, but I'm sure she'll be along soon" he informed her smirking. Amy smirked as well, although in retrospect it was nothing on Draco's, but she knew he knew that she knew why he associated with Pansy Parkinson, and the fact he liked her, was not high on the list of reasons why. "Shame, we all know how much you value her company, but you'll just have to put up with me" she retorted, sarcasm filling her voice as she noted he sat down opposite her, almost surveying her with his cold grey eyes as he did so.

Crabbe and Goyle were watching them, with equally idiotic looks on their faces, obviously not understanding why they were getting at each other's throats, but then again, any one listening to them would just think they severely disliked each other, many would say hate, but no, they did not hate each other, quite the opposite really. When it was just the two of them, or they were surrounded by either the Malfoy family or the Rookwood Family, (Which happened more than once as Victoria Rookwood, Amy's mother, and Narcissa Malfoy got on extremely well, and Augustus and Lucius had both been death eaters for several years, so their family's often conversed, and attended each other's elusive, invite only balls, although, it was quite obvious the Malfoy balls were better known and the witches and wizards who attended were, usually, well respected, well known ministry members.

There had been, in fact, one of these get togethers several nights ago, and things had been going splendid until the Parkinson's had turned up, and the first person Pansy had sought out was Draco, and the moment Amy had laid her eyes on her, she hadn't even bothered to attempt to keep Draco out of her clutches, instead she'd turned on her heel and walked away from Draco muttering something about having a good time with his lap dog and seeing him on September the first.

He was thoroughly confused as she'd left, he'd clicked on when a familiar arm looped around his, and Pansy had whispered in his ear. He hadn't been able to shake her all night, and he'd also noticed that Amy had given them a wide birth all evening, and seemed to have mastered the ability to become invisible, or simply vanish into thin air. He'd also been curious as to why she'd not stayed until Pansy had joined them, so she could exchange their usual banter and harsh words before leaving, but he'd simply put it down to the fact that she had better things, and better people to spend her time with.

So, for several hours the four slytherins sat in the compartment, chatting about not a lot, well Amy and Draco chatted, Crabbe and Goyle just seemed to grunt, unable to voice their own opinions until they slipped into a comfortable silence, which eventually ended in Amy slipping behind a book, her wand winding around her fingers repetitively. It wasn't that she was studious, no; she just liked to read when there wasn't much else to do.

Eventually the compartment door slid open, causing four separate pairs of eyes to turn to the door. Crabbe and Goyle grunted in recognition, before turning back to whatever it was they did when they weren't being ordered around by Malfoy or stuffing their faces. Amy's eyes instantly hardened upon seeing Pansy step through the threshold, flicking her eyes onto Malfoy, she saw the indifference written all over his features as Pansy sat by him, When he caught her gaze she glared at him for a fraction of a second, before disappearing behind her book, and not resurfacing until it was time to change.

When they stepped off the train, she made a point to get into a different cart, not wanting to listen to Pansy ramble about Merlin knows what and coo over Malfoy like he was a two year old, she'd been at it since first year and as far as Amy was concerned, she was never going to get the hint that Draco just wasn't interested in her.

Although, all too soon Amy was seated in her usual spot at the slytherin table, Blaise Zabini and Millicent Bulstrode having joined the five from the compartment as they waited for the sorting to start the beginning of the feast.

The next morning dawned bright and early, and as had been per usual for the last five years, Amy was the first girl in her dorm awake. Grabbing her things she quickly and quietly made her way to the bathroom for a shower, returning 20 minutes after, just as Parkinson and Millicent were starting to stir, she still hated the fact she had to share a dorm with a girl who in Amy's opinion should own a pug dog considering how much she looked like one. Smiling to herself at this thought, she muttered her good mornings whilst picking up her wand and flicking it in almost a casually manner, causing her hair to dry instantaneously. Opening her trunk she pulled out a pair of black robes, with the Slytherin crest sown into the left side, followed by a white shirt and a dark pair of jeans, the teachers wouldn't notice the fact they were jeans. Dressing, she slipped an emerald green jumper on over her shirt before donning her school robes, she'd never liked her robes much. Once ready, she picked up her school bag that currently only held new parchment, a couple of nice quills and a pot of black ink, she'd return to her dorms later to collect the necessary books and what not after breakfast, once she'd been given her timetable.

Before she'd managed to reach the common room, she'd found Draco's platinum blonde hair straight away, given that nobody else had hair that silver white in the school, and as she drew closer she saw that his usual body guards were flanking him. Rolling her eyes, something she thought was a very childish thing to do, she made her way to the portrait hole, pausing next to the 6th year slytherin momentarily "You'll have a long wait waiting for your girlfriend, she's only just gotten out of bed" she quipped before continuing to make a bee line towards the portrait hole and out into the cold dark corridors of the dungeons, which she navigated her way through with ease, her feet simply leading her to the great hall for breakfast.

The great hall wasn't very full, and small groups of people were scattered here and there up and down the four house tables, which was normal considering as it would be a good 10 or 15 minutes before the great hall would start to fill up. Relishing in the quiet Amy started on her breakfast, although, the quiet didn't last for very long as she was slowly joined by her fellow slytherins, and soon found herself seated between Blaise and his friend Theodore Nott.

"Morning Amy" Blaise slurred his words slightly; evidently still half asleep "did you have a good summer?" "Amy nodded and took a long sip of her coffee before speaking "Slightly better than usual, dad returned, but that didn't soften thing between myself and mother" she informed him, nobody really knew why Amy stopped trying to get on with her mother, and Amy would rather it stayed that way.

Soon the great hall was filled with students, and Amy found herself seated with Pansy, Millicent, Crabbe Goyle, Malfoy had also joined herself, Theo and Blaise whilst the heads of houses swept down the tables handing out each students time table.

Upon reaching Amy, Professor Snape cleared her for the subjects she had chosen to continue with, (Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Ancient Runes). Thanking him, she rose, bid a good bye to the people who had surrounded her, not knowing who else has acquired a outstanding in their Potions O.W.L exam, well, she knew Pansy and Millicent wouldn't be joining her which was a bonus.

It didn't take long for a familiar foot fall to catch up with her, although she didn't acknowledge him until he spoke. "I take it I'm still not forgiven then" Draco asked, his voice its usual bored drawl, Amy shook her head, "To be honest I think you're over reacting" he added. "And how would that be?" she demanded coming to a stop, "Every time I've been over at the mansion this summer Parkinson has been all over you and, for someone who decidedly dislikes the girl some would even say you enjoy the attention. You don't do much to dissuade her advances either" She said, her arms folding across her chest, her voice cold "and for someone who claims to want to spend time with their eldest friend, you sure do a poor job of it" Having said everything Amy wanted to say, she pivoted on her heel, and continued down the dungeons to the slytherin common room and to her dormitory to collect her Potions manual.

"So that's what all this is about?" Draco called to her retreating back, "you're mad at me because Parkinson insists on throwing herself at me, even more so when you're in the same room? I never took you to be the jealous type Tatty"

The brunette continued, seeming ignoring his words, her gate never faltering as he hair fell in front of her face "If only you knew" she whispered, as she reached portrait that would allow her into the common room, she hadn't missed her nick name from when they were younger, Tatty short for Tatiana, which was her middle name. Since they'd come to Hogwarts, it was a nick name that had rarely left his lips.

The common room was empty, not that she was likely to linger for long, Amy knew how Snape hated tardiness. Collecting her book from her trunk, she made her way back through the common room and out into the dungeons. Checking her watch, she was grateful that Potions was only a corridor or two from the Slytherin common room, or she'd have been seriously late.

Amy arrived only minutes before Snape did, the door clicking open as the small amount of students who had scrapped an O in their O.W.L filed in. Making her way to the back of the class, she didn't miss the white blonde hair in the corner of her eye as she settled herself at the back desk, only to find herself seated by Draco as he dropped his stuff onto the empty seat next to hers, while Blaise and Theo sat at the table in front of hers, and before she could open her mouth to tell them to sit somewhere else as she'd actually quite like to pass Potions this year, the wooden door swung shut and silence fell upon the students as Professor Snape started his lecture upon the importance of N.E., before assigning them to review the Invigoration Draught in pairs for the remainder of the lesson.

The room was suddenly alive with noise and many chairs were scrapped back across the floor as the students went to the ingredients cupboard to collect what was needed. The duo's breaking out into whispered conversations about the potion and what they remembered.

Pushing her own stool back Amy said "I'll go get the ingredients", and before Draco could respond she was half way across the classroom. Theo quirked an eyebrow, turning back to chat with the blonde "What have you done to insult her?" he asked, Draco shrugged "Not that it's any of your business, but I couldn't tell you what goes on in Amy Rookwood's mind" Okay, so maybe this was a small lie, Draco had a faint idea, but Theo had always had a bit more than a bit of a soft spot for the small girl, it was almost a running joke between the Slytherin boys in his year, but in reality, none of these boys knew just how serious about her Theo was, Draco was the one who had had the pleasure of listening to Theo and his less than honorable intentions towards her.

Amy reappeared, dropping the necessary ingredients out of her arms and onto the table. "I'll chop, you add and stir" she instructed, barely looking at the blonde as she pulled out her knife and stated to chop, slice and skin each of the required ingredients.

Theo quirked an eyebrow, at the coldness Amy seemed to be emitting towards Draco. They had always been partners in this subject, mainly because they worked so well together, usually chatting quietly while they brewed, but apparently, today they were going to work in silence. Draco sighed, and motioned that Theo should get back to his own work.

They spent just over an hour, working in complete silence, completing their potion before anyone else in the class. Realising he wasn't going to catch her eye any time soon, he pulled a quill, an ink well and a square of parchment out of his bag and wrote '_Walk with me?_' in his elegant yet jagged hand writing, before sliding it under her fingers which were drumming an incessant rhythm on the hard wood table.

The drumming stopping as her eyes were drawn to the piece of parchment. Plucking the quill out of his fingers, he heard her sigh before she wrote two letters underneath his question '_OK_' and sliding it back to Draco, her eyes remained trained on the board at the front of the class.


	3. Chapter 2

**AN: Sorry this has taken so long, I went back to school on Monday, and pretty much collapsed out of fatigue Tuesday lunch time (I was planning on writing some more of this chapter on Tuesday afternoon when I came home but I slept instead) and I've had so much homework so I've taken to writing bits of this here and there, mainly in the dead of night though atm.**

Chapter Two

The bell rang, and Amy gathered her things and made her way out of the door, giving Professor Snape their potion as she passed. She stopped, just to the left of the door, waiting for Draco. Draco promptly followed her out, muttering his goodbyes to his godfather who stopped him briefly saying "Women's trouble?" under his breath as his godson passed. He had not failed to notice that his Godson and Amy had passed their time sneaking glances at the other from across the long dining table, yet barely speaking two words to each other all night at the Malfoy's end of summer ball. And as he hadn't heard their usual incessant chatter that had usually dissolved into silent laughing fits more than once in his classroom (he'd deducted points from the pair more than once), he guessed they still weren't speaking.

Draco rolled his eyes, not giving his godfather the satisfaction choosing instead to continue on his way out the door, his eyes quickly scanning the corridor for Amy, landing on her small frame as he looked to the left, his lips turning up slightly. "Around the lake?" he asked. Before, when they were closer there was a particular spot by the lake that they would choose to escape to when they just wanted to get away from it all. Although, they rarely went their together, unbeknown to both of them, it was still their favourite place to escape to.

Amy nodded in reply, moving away from her spot by the door not waiting to see if Draco was following her. Draco sighed; this was going to be harder than he thought. His stride being longer than hers he easily caught her up, and they made a detour, dropping their bags in the common room before making their way outside.

Neither one of them spoke a word as they made their way through the dungeon and out the front door. The silence was uncomfortable between them. Being the beginning of September still, it wasn't yet atrociously cold, and the wind hadn't gotten up yet, but still, Amy wrapped her arms around herself. "Tatty" Draco started, fed up with the silent treatment as they were half way between the castle and the lake. When she gave no sign to have heard him, he reached out, putting a hand on her shoulder to stop her from walking away.

Amy shrugged her shoulder, forcing Draco to let go of his grip on her. His arm fell uselessly to his side as she continued to walk. So yes, maybe she was over reacting a little bit, but it wouldn't hurt Draco to fight for her for a short while, after all, he didn't exactly have to work for what he wanted, he was a fairly smart boy and it wasn't exactly a secret that Lucius had his fingers in lots of different pies at the ministry and quite a fair amount of gold hold up in Gringotts.

Draco frowned, but never the less he continued after her, letting her lead the way, the only difference this time being that he stayed several paces behind her, she would stop and talk when she felt like it, he reminded himself, repeating it over and over again. Amy was as stubborn as they came; she had been since she was little.

It took them a little over 5 minutes to walk half way around the black lake, straying off the well worn path a short way through a patch of thick trees which hid a small clearing which in summer was a sun trap. Before they'd discovered this hidden hide out someone else had put in a small wooden bench, just big enough for two. It appeared to have been there for years, showing that Amy and Draco weren't the first to discover the small clearing. Hundreds of names were carved into the wood work, Amy and Draco's included, it was one of the first things they'd done, after agreeing not to tell everyone about the clearing, it was their little secret.

Amy took a seat on the bench, fixing her gaze on Draco; she obviously wasn't planning on breaking the silence that had followed them all the way from the dungeons.

Draco crossed his arms, now she wanted him to speak; words seemed to have escaped him.

Several hopeful but useless sentences floated around his head for a minute until he decided on "What have I done so drastically wrong?" he demanded, his voice cold, wiped of emotion, but his eyes held the tell tale signs of what he was feeling, and at that particular moment in time, Amy could make out that he was feeling hurt and confused.

"You ditched me for Parkinson" She told him simply. Over their last year it had become more and more of a frequent occurrence, it didn't matter that Amy couldn't stand her, and she knew Draco didn't particularly _like_ her, so it made no sense that he let her act as if she was the Slytherin Princess and throw herself all over the blonde.

She was right, he knew that and she knew that, but instead of just _admitting_ it, he ignored her truthful statement, choosing instead to brush the foliage that had fallen onto the bench off and take a seat next to the brunette.

"You still come here?" he asked, the surprise at being lead here written all over his face. "Do you?" Any replied turning the question back on him. Draco shrugged his shoulders "I may do" he was being evasive,. Amy quirked an eyebrow, and fixed him with a stare. "Okay, so I come here" he snapped, crossing his arms across his chest. Defensive.

This hidden corner of the grounds held good memories for him for the two of them; he didn't want those precious memories tainted by a memory of hem arguing. "It's a good pace to come and forget about the real world, even if it is only for an hour or so" If he was going to admit to visiting the small nook in the vast grounds, he might as well admit to _why_. When it was just the two of them he had a tendency to say more than he needed to.

"I like to come here to remember how we were when we were younger" Amy spoke. She was looking straight at him, but Draco had the impression that she wasn't really seeing him, that she was lost in some memory of then from when they were young.. Draco wasn't exactly expecting her to confess still coming here.

"We weren't so concerned with our social status', who we were seen with, what we were seen doing, boys -well in your case girls- we were so care free" she stated.

Not that he was about to admit it even to Amy, but those were the same things he thought about when he came here, well, minus the girls, he'd never been here with anyone eels but Amy, so to him, it had never felt right thinking about _other_ girls.

Realising she was still staring, Amy turned away, blushing slightly. Sensing that he was almost forgiven, he shuffled closer to his best friend? Was she even that anymore, had his actions over the previous year's ruined how they close they had once been?

Taking a lock of hair between his thumb and forefinger, he rolled it between his fingers "why did you dye it dark?" he enquired. He'd meant to ask her the night of the ball, before their silent argument had started.

"Because no one can pull off platinum blonde like you can, especially if they don't have your aristocratic like features" Amy said, a small smile playing at the edge of her lips.

Draco shrugged, not really agreeing with her reasoning "I thought you wore it quite well" he told her. Not quite able to keep even the faintest hint of a smile off of his lips.

Letting her hair fall from his fingertips, Draco turned slightly away from the girl sat beside him; school his face back into its usual emotionless screen. Amy rolled her eye seeing this, a small sigh escaping her lips. Hidden away was the Draco that didn't care what everyone else though, and in his place was this new Draco who strived to be the perfect son, always after his father's approval.

"We should get back" he suggested, although it really was only a half hearted suggestion, but he didn't know _how_ to be the Draco he used to be before life became real.

Amy nodded, but despite their mutual agreement to go, neither of them made the first move, as moving meant leaving this place here the real world didn't matter, and it could just be the two of them in their own little world.

After a minute or more of just looking at each other, Amy rose, and made the final decision for them, making her way back through the foliage which lead to the far side of the lake. Draco following close behind, falling into step beside her as they made their way back to the castle for lunch.

The pair made their way back in silence, but they didn't need to speak as a comfortable ad familiar silence encased them and they walked as one into the great hall, their feet leading them to the far left side where the Slytherin table was situated.

Amy ignored the dirty look Pansy shot her, as Draco ignored Theo's envious look and the knowing eyebrow Blaise had raised. Feeling Amy pause beside him as they reached the half way section of the table he stopped besides her turning slightly to look at her.

"You're not coming to eat with us?" he asked confusion pouring out of his eyes, "I honestly don't feel like putting up with Parkinson" she admitted, slightly apologetic, "and besides, I'm sure you can cope with her, you usually do all by yourself" she added. Draco rolled his eyes lazily at the cold tone she used "Some would say you were jealous Amy" he teased, Amy recognising it for what it was, but she didn't feel like playing as she opened her mouth to reply, only to be cut off by the blonde who stood before her.

"Come eat by me" he said, moving closer to the small girl in a barely noticeable move, his fingers grazing the back of her for a moment before he dug his hands into his pocket, his gaze imploring her to see that all he wanted her to see that he was sorry, even if the word was foreign on his lips.

Her resolve crumbling, more so at the slight show of affection she doubted anyone but the most observant noticed she agreed, and continued along the table, sitting herself between Draco and a 3rd year whose name she didn't know. A small smile of her lips as she felt Draco press his knee next to hers, drawing her attention back to him as he offered a small, almost undetectable smile to her, before turning back to his food and whatever Theo and Blaise were wittering on about.

Rolling her eyes at Blaise who sat across from her, an eyebrow quirked that told her he had seen the small exchange between the two, and that he didn't miss a trick in the book.


	4. Chapter 3

**AN**: a week late but my exams are approaching and last minute revision and c/w has to be handed in, but the next chapter should be up tomorrow or Wednesday!

Chapter Three

Lunch was an interesting affair. Pansy made it more tan obvious that she was unhappy with the current seating arrangement, having been forced to move from Draco's side (at his request that she "Move") only to have her usual seat occupied by Amy.

All through lunch Pansy sulked. She alternated between glaring at Amy and muttering insults into her salad, not that her behaviour was acknowledged by anyone but Amy who was finding it a little daft to be upset about where she was sitting.

Nudging Draco, Amy pointed out Pansy's colourful insults towards her salad before enquiring "Did the salad personally insult you or something Parkinson?" Her face the perfect picture of innocence as she spoke. Baiting the other girl was far too easy.

An unbecoming scowl crossed Pansy's face as she choose instead to stab her lettuce leaves, pretending to not have heard Amy's question.

Turning to Draco she said "It looks as if your girlfriend if upset" A small smile causing her lips to quirk at the corners for a moment. Draco's eyes snapped from his lunch "She's _not_ my girlfriend" he hissed. He knew Amy was teasing, but still, he'd never date pansy, he could bare her only slightly more than Amy could.

"Well have you told her that specific detail in your..._relationship_?" Amy asked, her eyebrow quirking "because she's fairly mad at me for simply sitting with you, I mean, what would a friend be mad about something as trivial as that?" Standing from the bench Draco said "Let her stew, we have class" just as the bell went.

This year, Defence Against the Dark Arts was taught by Snape much to the slytherins delight. He was after all, their head of house, and it had been his dream job to have for the last 16 years.

The shutters were, unsurprisingly, shut on the windows, the only light source coming from the hundreds of candles that were floating overhead. The room gave the impression they were still in the dungeons. The affect, Amy supposed, was to intimidate the students.

The door swung open, admitting the students. As Pansy pushed past Amy, she couldn't help but roll her eyes as she watched the other girl claim the seat next to Draco's. What was this, a contest? Pansy insured that Amy didn't miss the smug smile she threw her way, before turning to talk to the boy in question, batting her eyelashes in a ridiculous fashion.

"Does she seriously think that she's getting on over on me?" she asked Blaise who was just behind her, in an agitated whisper. Blaise shrugged as he took his seat between the two girls. "You're a 'threat' now" he told her. Amy turned to face is, eyebrow raised, arms crossed poised to argue to the contrary. "I know" Blaise interrupted before she could start "You're not interested in him like that, I know" he sounded, if anything, exasperated, he'd heard the same story from Amy for the past few years, but he still didn't believe her.

"Draco's not even interested in her" Amy mumbled, Blaise rolled his eyes, turning his attention away from the seething girl sitting next to him, ignoring the obscenities she was muttering under her breath about Draco and Pansy. The class falling silent as Snape shut the door, the small class immediately falling silent.

Snape started with the same speech they had been given by Slughorn that morning in potions. That mean that the rest of their professors would be giving them the same speech and by the end of the day, the 6th years would be able to repeat it word for word is asked.

After listening to him talk about how he was amazed that most of them managed to scrap a passing mark, let alone an O and the subjects they would be covering this term before barking at them that they should be writing down what he was saying, and how he would be checking their defensive and offensive spells next lesson, before dismissing them as the bell sounded.

Out the door the class split into three groups, the Slytherins who were continuing with Herbology went to join the Ravenclaws, whilst the Slytherins who were continuing Charms went to join the Hufflepuffs. Those who had dropped both subjects going their own way.

The six Slytherins walked down to the first floor together, Amy, Pansy and Theo heading to Charms, whilst Draco, Blaise and Millicent continued to the grounds to the greenhouses for Herbology with Sprout.

Charms was followed by Arithmancy, for which Blaise joined them and Pansy left in a rush to do Merlin knows what.

Watching Parkinson rush up the stairs to the 6th floor, Amy couldn't help but sneer "Could she be any more desperate to rejoin her precious Draco?" her voice loud, the hesitant foot fall allowing her to know that Pansy had indeed heard her.

"No, but it's starting to look like you are jealous Amy, especially if you keep baiting her like that" Amy jumped as she felt Blaise's presence behind her "I don't know why you give her the time of day."

"Didn't we have a conversation that spookily resembled this one not two hours ago?" Amy demanded. Blaise shrugged again "Yes, but try looking at it from an outsiders point of view, it looks like you're rather jealous, or afraid that she'll worm her way into his life".

Amy's yes narrowed just as Prof Vector opened the door, allowing the class to entre and take their seats. Amy took a seat next to Blaise, but didn't spare him a second glance during their lesson. She was too preoccupied with the ideas Blaise seemed set on putting in her head.

Yes she had always thought Draco to be attravtive, who hadn't, and how could he not be when he had inherited those aristocratic features (Yes, the same thing could have been said about Blaise with his olive tanned skin and dark brown hair, he too was attractive, but a complete opposite to Draco), and yes, at one point they _had_ been closer than they were at the moment, but it didn't mean she yearned for more.

Arithmancy passed similarly to Defence Against the Dark Arts and Charms had. Professor Vector starting the lesson with a lecture about the upcoming NEWTs and that they were only two years away and how it would be best for them to start revising now. Before, she assigned then several calculations to do that they'd learned last year in an attempt to 'refresh their memories'.

By the time they made it back to Snape's newly appointed classroom for a second hour of Defence Against the Dark Arts, the 6th years had been given more work than ever. A six foot essay on an invigoration draught for Wednesday, they had to read the first chapter of Magical Theory and Standard Book of Spells (Grade 6), and produce an essay on the usefulness of the charms mentioned and what they had in common for the next lesson, as well as having to finish off the calculations they had started in Arithmancy.

And it was more than certain that Snape would give them homework as well. It seemed as if the teachers weren't starting them off lightly after their two month summer holiday.

As soon as the words "get into pairs and start practising" left Snape's lips, Amy knew it had been a bad idea to sit next to Draco, especially after the look she received from Pansy.

She had paired up with Draco, Theo with Blaise and Pansy with Millicent. They were supposed to be practising stunning and deflecting, but when Amy felt a familiar stinging sensation on her cheek the look of pure glee on Pansy's face told her exactly who had sent the stinging hex.

Draco raised his eyebrow a fraction at the forming welt on Amy's cheek, but she shook her head, she'd explain later. Aiming her wand just over Draco's shoulder, she muttered _blatero._

"Miss Rookwood" came the familiar drawl, causing Amy to spin on the spot "I believe Mr Malfoy is your duelling partner, not Miss Parkinson" "Sorry sir, I wasn't aiming for Parkinson, I guess I must have slipped" a small victorious grin fell onto her lips.

"Well next time you should be more careful" Snape drawled "Yes sir" Amy agreed as she watched Snape walk back to where he had previously been standing.

Much to Amy's pleasure he hadn't removed the babbling curse from Pansy, as she watched Millicent throw up shield after shield, deflecting the rogue curses Pansy was spewing in an attempt to find a counter curse to cure her of the babbling.

The bell rang, and over the rush to leave the class Snape could be heard shouting out their homework for the next lesson "Rookwood, if I were you I would get that welt sorted at the hospital wing , Parkinson come here and I'll remove that jinx.

Amy sighed, she'd hardly been back in the castle 24 hours and she had already been sent to see Mme Pomfrey.

"You know, I think Snape might just be sadistic enough to choose who partners with who, so he can pair you and Parkinson together and then we can critique your skills whilst you fight to the death over a certain blonde" Came Blaise's familiar voice, somewhere to Amy's left.

"As much as you are no doubt wanting to see that Zabini, did you actually want something?" she demanded, arms crossed over her chest, her cheek throbbing from the stinging hex.

"Sorry Rookwood" he exaggerated her surname "Would you like accompanying to the Hospital Wing?" Amy shook her head "no thanks, I'm sure I'll manage" "Okay, but just so you know, if Snape did pair you up and make you duel, my money would be on you" Blaise informed her before glancing at something, or someone over her shoulder "I'll see you later then" he said before scampering off.

Before Amy could so much as start to make her way to the Hospital Wing, she felt a familiar presence behind her.

"That was a rather childish stunt to pull Tatty" the voice was a smooth drawl she'd know anywhere, and, for a minute, she briefly wondered whether he was trying to improve on Snape's well rehearsed drawl, goose bumps breaking out across her skin.

"It was no more childish than the hex she sent at me" she replied, her voice a quiet whisper for some reason unknown to her. "You could have just ignored it" Draco pointed out, his breath ghosting over her neck as he spoke. Briefly, Amy wondered what it would be like if she could just lean back into the taller boy, un aware of a similar thought running through Draco's mind.

"That would have been very unslytherin of me don't you think?" she questioned, she was feeling slightly breathless.

"Would you like me to accompany you to see Pomfrey?" he asked, moving away from her coming to stand beside her, "That stinging hex has brought up a rather unsightly welt" he told her, brushing his fingers over the inflamed area of her cheek causing a small hiss of pain to escape Amy's lips.

"I don't need a sitter, but yes, the company would be nice" she admitted with a small smile, her eyes lighting up.

"Lead the way" he said, gesturing for her to go ahead of him, placing his hand on the small of her back in an attempt to guide her, even though the corridors and staircases were virtually empty. At his touch a ghost of a smile crossed and settled on Amy's lips as she allowed herself to lead back into his touch.

**AN: **blatero meaning to babble, in Latin I hope, I don't speak/do Latin.


	5. Chapter 4

**AN:** I have yet to write a disclaimer, so here it is, I own nothing you recognise.

I'm sorry updates are few and far between, but I've got a busy month coming up, so I don't know how much writing I'll get done (competing, revision, exams, England) but from July I should have more time to write and update.

Chapter Four

The next few weeks went by in a similar fashion to the first day. Pansy and Amy exchanging quips and insults on a regular basis, Pansy trying to make sure she could guarantee a seat next to Draco in all of the classes they shared. Although the constant presence of brunette was starting to annoy the blonde as he seemed to be less and less accommodating of her.

Unfortunately for Amy, Draco's sudden disinterest in Pansy made for late night girly talks between Millicent, Pansy and Daphne which usually lasted into the early hours of the morning.

Draco and Amy tried to disappear as inconspicuously and as often as they could when they had a free lesson, usually they would head to their secret garden, the weather permitting, if not, they would be tracked to the library by one of their fellow slytherins, usually Pansy or Theo.

Being disturbed so often in the library was one of the main reasons the duo escaped out into the grounds where they couldn't be found. Although Amy had a suspicion Blaise knew where they disappeared too despite Amy's insistence that _nothing_ was going on. The knowing looks he kept giving her were more than a little infuriating.

The only other noticeable change was Draco's absence in the evenings in the common room, he seemed to have mastered the art of vanishing after dinner in the great hall – occasionally he was missing from that as well – and returning to the dorm in the early hours of the morning, and on a few rare nights he didn't return at all, reappearing for breakfast without a hair out of place, the only evidence that he'd hardly slept was the bags under his eyes.

Because of these nightly excursions he appeared to have missed a couple of quidditch practises, and with the first match, Gryffindor vs Slytherin, less than a week away, the quidditch team could be heard moaning about how their seeker wasn't pulling his weight.

It was fair to say that the quidditch team, and the other 6th years in his dorm suspected there to be a girl involved.

Amy did not like that suggestion.

Sitting up late one night with Blaise (they had the common room to themselves) trying to get though as much homework as they could so they could have a relatively quiet weekend, as, who knew how long the quidditch match would go on for ?

Blaise dropped his quill onto a piece of parchment covered in his slanted jaggered writing. "Done!" he exclaimed, ignoring the blot of ink that was forming where he'd dropped his quill.

"I hope Sprout appreciates just how interesting I find her Venomous Tentacula to be, especially as it keeps trying to maim me in every bloody single class!" he stated, his voice laced with sarcasm.

Amy stifled a giggle "looks as if you've got an admirer Zabini" she teased, pleased for a distraction from her tedious essay on human transfiguration.

Blaise rolled his eyes "Shut up Rookwood, at least she's affectionate" "She?" Amy quirked an eyebrow "It's a plant Blaise" she reminded him. He shrugged his shoulders "Your point being?" he challenged.

The door into the common room creaked open, catching their attention as it revealed a dishevelled looking Draco Malfoy.

"Looks like lover boy is home" Blaise whispered before gathering his things and dumping them into his bag "It's a shame neither of you will admit your mutual attraction to one another though" his lips close to the shell of her ear as he spoke before giving her an uncharacteristic kiss on the cheek good night and making his way to the dorms, dodging the silk emerald green pillow Amy through at him.

Frowning at the sight in front of him Draco asked in his usual drawl "Leaving so soon Zabini?"

"Unfortunately some of us need more than five hours of sleep to function properly" he replied not bothering to stop and address the blonde as he vanished from sight. Draco had been coming back to the dorm at early hours of the morning this week, the slight creak of the door unknowingly waking Blaise who was an incredibly light sleeper.

Dropping into the empty space left by Blaise on the leather sofa, Draco shrank back into the cushions, closing his eyes, the only sounds being made coming from the scratch of Amy's quill and the crackling of the fire occasionally punctuated by the sound of a page turning.

Amy and Draco sat in the near silence for almost an hour, the comfortable silence they'd slipped into broken by Draco. "You'll never be able to get up in time for Transfiguration with McGonagall" he remarked "Neither will you" came the reply.

Feeling her gaze lingering on him, Draco lazily opened his eyes to look at her "I'm sure I'll cope" he told her, after all, this wouldn't be the first, nor he suspected it of being the last late night he would pull this year.

"Who's the girl?" Amy questioned breaking the silence they'd fallen into again, mentally slapping herself as the words left her mouth. Listening to Pansy fret over his unusual night time habits really weren't helping her.

"Why? Jealous?" his infamous smirk fell with ease onto his lips, he didn't have to open his eyes to know she was frowning.

"Not really, no" she told him, ignoring the little voice that was her subconscious screaming 'liar' at her.

"There is no girl" Draco admitted after a minute. Amy quirked a eyebrow, "and I'm supposed to believe that after the numerous rumours flying around the boys dorms?" she questioned.

"Yes"

"Why should i?"

"Because if there was I wouldn't be skulking around with her after hours, and besides, Blaise doesn't believe these ridiculous rumours that are floating around, he just believes that there's a girl I've taken a fancy too" he told her

"And is there?"

"I don't know"

"Well I do hope it's not Parkinson"

Draco scoffed "It will never be Parkinson, no matter how much she throws herself at me" This statement caused Amy to chuckle "Well I'm glad I don't have to stop you making that mistake" she told him "but I think you need to tell her that, not me" she suggested

"Well, from the way you two seem to like to quarrel about it I shouldn't think I'd need too"

A faint blush covered Amy's cheeks as she leant forwards to gather her things, her hair effectively creating a curtain between them.

"So, if you're not harbouring a secret girl, what are you doing?" she asked zipping her bag shut.

"Nothing important" he told her.

Amy rolled her eyes at his evasiveness, but decided not to push it and let the subject drop for the night.

Lying back into the sofa she curled her feet under her getting comfy. "Not going to bed then?" Draco enquired as he watched her. Amy shook her head "maybe in a bit, but at this moment in time I don't fancy going into the dorm and listening to Pansy complain about how you never spend any time with her anymore, and besides, you're still down here"

"I'm comfy" Draco told her, toeing his shoes off and placing his feet on the table, his arm stretched out across the back of the sofa as he let his eyes fall shut. The sofa really was comfy, especially when the roaring fire was creating such a warm comfortable environment.

Somewhere, between her peaceful slumber and waking, Amy could vaguely hear someone giggling. Opening her eyes, she took in the green, her eyes landing on the now empty fireplace, the coffee table and the other chairs, before landing on a couple of giggling girls who looked like second or third years.

It was then Amy realised her pillow was moving, and the arm draped around her waist was preventing her from moving. Following the length of the arm her eyes fell upon white blonde hair, giving her pillow an identity.

Closing her eyes briefly she remember how in the early morning of the hours she'd still been working when Draco had appeared, they'd chatted for a while and, during some point they must have fallen asleep.

Blaise sauntered down the boys stairs into the slytherin common room. Draco hadn't come up to bed last night meaning he had either gone back out of fallen asleep downstairs. He was secretly betting it was the latter.

Reaching the common room his eyes sought the sofa he'd left Amy on last night, and to his delight, he could see the silhouettes of two distinct figures curled up, the white blonde hair giving the Malfoy heir away.

Grinning, he made his way over to his two friends, sitting himself on the table, leaning forwards slightly, his chin placed in his hands. "Sleep well?" he asked amusement drawn all over his face and lacing his words when he saw that Amy was awake.

Amy simply glared at him.

"I mean, I wondered why Draco didn't come up to bed although that in its self is not unusual. But I didn't dare dream that he would have fallen asleep down here with you" he wiggled his eyebrow suggestively grinning like a cat who had got the cream.

"Shut up and get your mind out of the gutter" she snapped, she could practically see the scenes Blaise was creating in his mind's eye. "I didn't say anything" he insisted, going as far as to hold his hands up in surrender.

"You don't have to, I can see you forming your own wild story in your head" she told him. Blaise shook his head "nope, i'm just imaging what ridiculously wild and obscene theory Pansy would be screaming if she saw you curled up next to Draco looking very comfortable if I may say so"

"You may not" Amy muttered

Poking Draco in the arm Blaise said "how can he still be asleep, it's not exactly quite in here with everybody traipsing through"

"Maybe because he's not asleep" replied the blonde who had seemingly being sleeping "Your dulcet tones aren't exactly lulling me back to sleep either Zabini" he added, trying to get up, only seeming slightly surprised at his arm been sandwiched between the sofa and Amy's waist.

"What are you doing in our dorm Tatty?" he questioned causing Amy to giggle briefly. "You're not in our dorm Malfoy" Blaise pointed out to him rolling his eyes.

Shuffling so he could sit up, without having to remove his arm from around Amy's waist he glanced around, hiding his surprise at being in the common room until he remember last night. "Oh, so we aren't" he noted "what time is it?" he asked, swiftly changing the subject, ignoring the looks they were receiving from the Slytherins going to breakfast. Apparently it was quite the sight seeing a non coiffed Draco Malfoy.

"About half eight" Blaise answered, standing and stretching "So, I'm going to head down to the great hall for breakfast, stay out of trouble" he told them with a wink, before making his way to the portrait hole.

Draco reluctantly stood, immediately missing the warmth Amy provided. "Well I'm going for a shower before transfiguration" he stated, a small smile covering his lips holding out a hand to pull her up. Grasping his hand, Amy allowed herself to be pulled up, returning his smile "I'll see you in transfig. then?" she questioned. He nodded as they took their leave to the separate dorms.

Amy reached McGonagall classroom early, having skipped out on breakfast in favour of a shower.

It wasn't long before the rest of the 6th years apart from Draco and Blaise joined them which Amy found curious as she's spied them both in the Great hall when she'd come up from the dungeons.

As it was, Draco and persuaded Blaise to make a quick trip with him down to the kitchens. Ten minutes later, and the two were rushing to the first floor, Draco with a pile of toast in his hands.

"I swear if we're late and McGonagall sticks us in detention I shall hex you" Blaise swore as they two friends broke into a jog, not wanting to be particularly late for once. "Seriously, you are one whipped boy at the moment" Blaise exclaimed.

Draco quirked an eyebrow as he snapped around to look at the other boy. "What are you on about, I am not whipped" he retorted.

Blaise shook his head and couldn't help but chuckle "And you made me go to the kitchens so you could rob toast for Amy why?" he asked.

"Because it's partly my fault she missed breakfast" Draco reminded him "I honestly don't think she minded having to miss breakfast if it meant she could wake up in your arms" Blaise told the slightly oblivious boy.

They slowed to a walk as they reached the corner when they heard Pansy's unmistakable squeal "Is it true you spent the night with Draco?" she demanded. The boys could not yet see who she was speaking to but they had a faint idea.

"What's it to you Parkinson?" Amy demanded "Jealous?" she questioned, a smirk forming on her lips "Did he never ask you to spend the night?" she asked, knowing full well Parkinson hadn't been anywhere near a bed with Draco. "Were you an easy lay he kicked out post coitus?" she sneered.

Rounding the corner the boys stumbled upon one very smug looking Amy and Pansy who looked as if she was about to hex her into the third years Herbology class.

Pansy was fuming, "I am more to him than you ever will be!" she announced, "Tell her Draco" she said, turning to look at the blonde who had come to a stop behind Amy.

The blonde quirked an eyebrow "I don't have the foggiest idea _what _you're wittering on about Parkinson" he drawled his own signature smirk appearing as he spoke before turning his attention to Amy who looked positively smug. "Toast?" he offered "I thought you might be hungry" he added by way of an explanation.

Gratefully Amy helped herself to a piece thanking him as the classroom door opened and McGonagall appeared ushering them in.

"Don't fall to hard now" Blaise muttered as he past Draco to their usual seats. "What are you on about Zabini?" Draco demanded, the smallest hint of confusion littering his face.

"That girl you _think_ you like and I _know_ you like, you just brought her breakfast after spending a completely innocent night on the common room sofa with her" Blaise informed him.

"What? Amy, that's completely barbaric" Draco protested as they were told to quieten down. The only reply he receives was scribbled on a piece of parchment. _Is it really? Think about it_. Blaise had written in his slanted jaggered writing.

Draco shook his head as if trying to clear his thoughts. He'd known Amy since they were in nappies, he was not about to waste a complex lesson thinking about what they weren't and feeling that weren't there.

Suffice to say Draco spent most of the day catching himself watching Amy, and he resolutely ignored Blaise's knowing looks.


	6. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I haven't written one yet but, the only thing i own is Amy, anything recognisable belongs to JK. K?**

Chapter 5

The next three weeks saw Draco attend all of his quidditch practises, and, according to Blaise, he was spending an hour before breakfast flying as well. His absence at the Slytherin table in a morning had been noticed, and it was presumed that he was grabbing a bite to eat in the kitchens before going straight to class.

There were nights when he didn't return to the common room until the early hours of the morning, only getting a couple of hours sleep. The Slytherins had learnt early on in the year not to question just what Draco Malfoy got up to in his free time, so him staying out until the early hours of the morning was considered completely normal.

"You know.." Amy started one evening before changing her mind and shaking her head in dismissal, she was sitting in the library with Blaise.

"Go on" Blaise prompt quirking an eyebrow at the brunette.

"Is the rumour that Malfoy isn't coming back until the early hours of the morning because he's got a secret girlfriend true?" Amy asked

Blaise rolled his eyes, "we had this conversation not a month ago Amy" Blaise replied going back to scanning through his Charms text book, looking for a specific piece on the notice me not charm.

"Yes, but a lot can change in a month" She reasoned.

Blaise, who had found what he was looking for scribbled it down, measuring it to see how many more inches it added to his essay before he spoke again. "Well, what I told you before hasn't changed, there is a girl, but he's not seeing her, in fact I don't think he's seen much of her this past week"

"Do I know her?"

"In so many words yes" Blaise smirked, watching as Amy scowled at how vague Blaise was being.

"Why do you want to know?" he questioned "Jealous?"

"Don't be daft" Amy replied, hoping it sounded like a throw away comment. In reality, she was curious. Over the last week he seemed to have distanced himself from everybody. Well, even more so than usual.

The two fell into silence again as they worked, until Amy dropped her quill onto the table and put the cap back on her pot of ink before casting a drying charm on her writing so it wouldn't smudge.

"How can you be finished already?" Blaise demanded "I've still got 3 inches to write!" he exclaimed in a loud whisper.

Amy flashed him a grin and said "Weeeeeeell 3 inches isn't a lot really, and no you can't inspire yourself from mine"

"You could at least keep me company" he grumbled a distinct frown falling upon his face.

"Now why would I do that when perfectly adequate company in the form of one Miss Daphne Greengrass is heading this way?" Amy raised an eyebrow before depositing her things into her bag.

"Daphne! Hi!" she greeted the younger girl with a rather over the top smile, "I'm just leaving, so my seats free if you were looking for somewhere to sit, and I'm sure Blaise wouldn't mind the company"

Blaise who had been glaring at Amy quickly rearranged his face into a polite smile "Feel free" he said, gesturing to the now empty chair.

Amy watched as Daphne seated herself before announcing "Well, I'll be off, things to do people to see" she gave a small wave before shouldering her bag and making her leave.

"Well that wasn't strange in the slightest" Daphne remarked.

Blaise shrugged "She's a strange girl" he commented.

Leaving the library, Amy made her way back down to the dungeons, only to find herself joined by Theo Nott. It wasn't that she disliked the boy, it was more the fact that he had this uncanny ability to appear when she was by herself, and Amy could only guess as to how far in the Dark Lords circle he was, as he seemed adamant that he was going to follow on in his father's footsteps.

"Are you doing anything tonight?" he asked, no hello how are you, just straight to the point.

Amy shrugged her shoulders "I was planning on curling up on one of the comfier armchairs by the fire with a good book" she told him. She wasn't however going to tell him that she only planned on doing that until she received a better offer, probably from Blaise, hopefully from Draco, but as Draco had been missing in action all week, she had her gallons on Blaise.

"Oh, well, it's Hogsmeade on Sunday" he pointed out, and Amy could suddenly see in what direction this conversation was heading. "Would you like to go with me?" he asked.

Amy's steps hesitated as the inevitable words left his lips. Honestly, no she didn't want to go to Hogsmeade with him, he was far too wrapped in the dark arts for her. _But so is Draco_, a little voice said in the back of her mind which she wasn't even going to bother to analyse.

"Umm..." she paused, trying to find a polite way to say no.

"Unfortunately for you Nott, she's coming with me" drawled a very familiar voice. Amy could just imagine the look of superiority that Draco was giving Theo, and refrained from rolling her eyes as he arm snaked around her waist in an almost possessive manor.

"Sorry Theo" Amy said, almost convincing herself that she sounded apologetic as she spoke.

"Never mind, looks as if I'll just have to ask sooner rather than later next time" he lips barely moved as he spoke, his eyes flickering between Amy, Draco and the arm around her waist.

"I'll see you around" he concluded, before letting himself into the Slytherin common room, not bothering to hold the portrait open for them.

As soon as the portrait slammed shut behind Theo, Amy wound herself out of Draco's grasp, ignoring the sudden coldness she felt from leaving his grip, and levelling him with a questioning glare, her arms crossed over her chest.

"What?" the blonde asked "I just saved your arse from a terrible date" he exclaimed. As Amy remained silent not moving from the stance she had taken "Oh come on, do you really think he'd have let you off with a simple 'no' when he knows you're not seeing anyone?" he questioned.

Amy huffed "Well he knows full well that we aren't seeing each other" she said, gesturing between them "and it's not exactly as if I've seen much of you this week, you seemed to have developed the uncanny knack of vanishing into thin air" she added.

"I've been busy" he told her, already knowing that it was a pathetic excuse, he knew that there was no real need for him to fly before breakfast under the pretences that he was 'practising'. In truth he'd been on auto pilot during those sessions, trying to wrap his head around the one thought Blaise had managed to engrain into his brain with a few simple, well placed words. So he now spent every morning analysing every aspect of his friendship with Amy, and standing there in front of her made him realise just how much he had missed her, and _if,_ and it was a big if, he _liked_ Amy, in a completely non platonic way (and standing there with her glaring at him he was fairly sure he did, not that he was about to admit it) he knew he couldn't just treat her the same way he'd treated every other girl as she'd never stand for it, she was as close to being his best friend as she could be without actually having that label and vice versa, even if he hadn't acted like one these last few weeks, and he certainly didn't want to drag her into the mess his life was slowly, but surely becoming.

"I don't believe you" she stated, a hard frown on her face as she stared at him, almost daring him to spin her some well constructed, yet not entirely plausible lie.

"Mind you, I don't know if I believe half the things you come out with at the moment Malfoy, I mean, you can't possibly be spending all of your time down at the quidditch pitch, not early morning and every evening. So you've either got someone on the side or you're up to something sinister" She snarled. If there was one thing Amy didn't like it was being lied to. "Actually, it's probably both" she added as an afterthought.

Not missing the change to his surname Draco shook his head and sneered as he spoke "How many times do I have to say that I don't have a bit on the side?" he demanded through gritted teeth punctuating every word.

Amy duly noted that he seemingly ignore the part about being up to something sinister. "You might as well have" she spat, "for all we know you could be doing Parkinson behind our backs, she has been looking quite pleased with herself these last few weeks".

"Don't be stupid Rookwood, it doesn't suit you, and I wouldn't touch Parkinson with a 10 ft broomstick" Draco's voice became cold and detached, his silver grey eyes inherited from his father showing just how cold and unfeeling he could be.

"Yes you say that but she's_ more_ than a willing candidate" Amy pointed out "I mean, she's constantly throwing herself at you"

"Jealous are we Rookwood?" Malfoy quirked an eyebrow, his whole demeanour relaxing as he realised this probably wasn't going to turn into a loud, exchange of insults and below the belt attacks. In fact, a slightly smug, superior look seemed to be playing out on his pale, pointed features that could suit only him. "But you know, you'd be more than welcomed to throw yourself at me. I wouldn't be adverse to it in fact."

Mentally, Draco was questioning himself as to why he would say such a thing to Amy, even if he wouldn't be averse to her throwing herself at him.

"Wipe that haughty look from your face Draco" Amy snapped fighting to stop any kind of flush rising in her cheeks. As there was no longer any bite behind her words, and Draco guessed that as she was calling him by his given name once again all was forgiven, for now at least.

"Anyhow, I'm not the one throwing myself at you." Amy announced with a sly grin, looking every bit the Slytherin she was "According to you, you're taking me to Hogsmeade this weekend, but I never received an invite of any kind" She stuck her bottom lip out, pouting slightly.

Draco rolled his eyes at her child like behaviour, and then silently berated himself for rolling his eyes. "Well you said no to Nott when I said we were going" Draco pointed out, but the brunette simply shook her head.

"You gave me a good excuse to say no, I honestly don't fancy spending the day in Nott's company, as charming as he can be." Amy said.

"So we're not going?" Draco asked, his expression wavering, although behind the mask he'd perfected of the years he felt a small stab of hurt and confusion.

"I never heard you ask me"

"But you agreed when I told Nott we were going"

"Because you gave me a viable reason to not go with Nott, thanks by the way" she thanks him as almost an afterthought.

"So we're not going?" Draco asked, frowning slightly.

Amy shook her head, fighting the grin that threatened to fall on her lips. "I've not been asked to go by anyone, including you"

She gave him a final minute to see if he would actually ask her, but by the look of confusion on his face, he probably wasn't, well, not right away.

With a small sigh she told him she'd see him later, before muttering the password to the portrait and vanishing into the Slytherin common room

Draco was still frowning as Blaise appeared at his side. "How much of that did you hear?" asked the blond.

"Enough" replied Zabini, providing a moment's source of comfort to the slightly younger wizard by placing his hand on his shoulder, and squeezing slightly.

"Maybe you should just _ask_ her, I'm sure she'd say yes".

Draco nodded, although he seemed to have drifted into his own thoughts.

"Hopeless" Blaise muttered taking it upon himself to steer a preoccupied Draco through the portrait hole and into his preferred chair.

**AN: Sorry this has taken me so long to update (I knew that there would be no update during the month of June due to exams and what not), but I am very good at procrastination it seems, as I meant to have this chapter up at the beginning of the month.**

**I'll try to get these out ASAP, but I still have to write them and unfortunately I seem to be getting a bit of writers block. And thank you to everyone who had reviewed and added this to their story alerts and such and such, it means a lot to me to know you're wanting to read this.**


	7. Chapter 6

**AN: Okay so I suck at updates, I know, I keep forgetting about this story. I'm so sorry it's terrible of me, but I do have the next two chapters outlined, and I'm going to attempt to get those out before Saturday.**

Chapter 6

As it was, Draco forwent his usual morning quidditch routine in favour of joining Amy, Blaise and much to his surprise Daphne; apparently he had missed out on something and kept shooting Blaise questioning looks whilst Amy looked nothing but overly smug at herself and this new development that had developed before his eyes.

It was Friday morning when Blaise started to question Amy about her weekend, if Draco didn't have the ball to actually ask her, well, maybe he could coax him into it.

"Are you going to Hogsmeade with anyone this weekend?" Blaise asked Amy, resolutely ignoring the look of contempt Draco was giving him.

Amy shook her head "nope, well, Nott asked me but I turned him down"

"Really?" Blaise asked looking perplexed, "Strange, I heard that you were going with Draco"

Amy quirked an eyebrow at the olive skinned boy, quickly catching onto to his little game. "Well, he's not asked me, and I don't presume to be going with someone without an invite of some description."

Blaise shrugged his shoulders, "Well if he hasn't got the balls..." he trailed off "You know, I would invite you to come with me but, I've already asked Daphne if she like to accompany me, but I'm sure Nott would ditch whichever tart he's found in a second for you"

Amy grinned, but not for the reasons currently flying through Draco's mind as if they'd been asked to try out the new Firebolt. She could almost feel the annoyance and underlying anger radiating from the blond as he and Blaise discussed her weekend.

"You know what Blaise, I might just do that"

Draco huffed, he was aware he was pouting as Amy stood from the table and announced she was going to head off early to Potions as she had a question for Professor Snape.

"You are cruel Zabini" Draco announced once Amy was out of hearing range "I mean, I was sitting right here beside the both of you. And seriously, persuading her to go crawling back to Nott for a date?"

Blaise shrugged "Then you should man up and ask her, because you know she will ask Nott if his offer still stands just to spite you"  
>"Well you could of sent her to anyone but! Nott only wants to get in her knickers, have his way with her and leave her in favour of his next victim once he's had her." Draco snarled in a loud whisper.<p>

"Amy can hold her own Malfoy I don't know why you're getting your wand in such a not, it's not as if Amy wouldn't make it purposely clear to Nott that it's everything but a date. You almost make it sound like you _care_ about her Malfoy"

"Yeah well Theodore Nott never was the brightest Kneazle in the Litter." Draco muttered as the first bell of the day went signalling the start of lessons, which meant Potions for Amy, Draco and Blaise. Daphne would be heading outside to Care of Magical Creatures.

Potions passed in a relatively habitual fashion. Amy spending most of her time whispering helpful tips to Blaise who had ever really acquired the concentration needed for potions. Theo had never really been any good at the subject, and Amy wondered why he still took it never mind how he managed to scrape and O on his OWL.

A permanent scowl seemed to have fixed it's self to Draco's face since Amy had left the breakfast table, and Amy could tell without looking at him that his mind wasn't on potions. She'd had to prevent him from adding the wrong ingredients at the wrong point in the potion they were brewing several times.

"For goodness sake Malfoy get your mind on track that's the 4th time I've had to prevent a mishap on your part" she hissed under her breath.

Draco mumbled something he knew Amy wouldn't believe as an excuse, causing the small petite girl to huff and grabbed the stirring rod from his hands, pushing him out of the way, silently telling him that she'd finish the potion if he wasn't fully there.

Draco let her. He knew his attention wasn't at all where it needed to be. He was far too distracted watching Amy and Theo exchange small glances, and in his opinion Amy was batting her eye lashes far more than the situation warranted, and if he wasn't mistaken, Amy was actually trying to _flirt_ with Nott, if the high pitched giggle that she'd just emitted was anything to go by. A giggle worthy of Pansy Parkinson, not Amy Rookwood.

The giggle caused Blaise to turn away from his cauldron; his eyebrows seemed to be receding into his hairline as Amy continued to giggle. His eyes landing on a less than impressed Draco, he gave the Slytherin prince a knowing look.

Narrowing his eyes he gestured to Blaise to turn back to his potion which had started bubbling ferociously and had turned a nasty shade of green. He could see what was going on beneath his eyes fine without Blaise pointing it out.

Slughorn has started to wander between the tables pausing to look into the cauldrons, a few he recoiled from rather quickly causing the students working on said particular potion to panic.

A quick glance in the direction of his and Amy's potion told him Amy had successfully completed the potion in the allotted time, and had even managed to attain the colour described in the book. Not that he was surprised; Amy was more than a competent potions brewer.

A resounding ring sounded throughout the dungeon as Slughorn called for a vial of potion to be placed upon his desk for marking.

Out of the corner of his eye he saw Theo whisper something to Amy causing a smile to break out across her lips. She picked up the vial of their potion, ready for Slughorn, swinging hr bag onto her shoulder as she made her way to the front of the class. She paused briefly to put the vial on Slughorn's desk before exiting the classroom.

Draco vanished the remainder of the potion, hauling his own bag onto his shoulder and followed her out, elbowing his way through the rest of the class who had crowded to the front of the dungeon. As soon as he reached the dark damp dungeon corridor, Draco lengthened his stride, not quite running after the brunette. Malfoys did not run after anybody.

"Hey! Rookwood! Wait up!" Draco turned to see Theo several paces behind him, calling after the petite brunette who turned to see who had called her. Amy briefly met Draco's gaze before turning her attention to Theo. She smirked and continued around the corner, Draco catching a hint of a playfulness making its self known on her face.

Draco hastened after her frowning, she couldn't be serious about propositioning Theo about Hogsmeade this weekend after she'd initially turned him down. Turning the corner he found Amy leaning against the wall not two meters away from him. Continuing as if he would walk straight past her he curled his fingers around her elbow, obliging her to go with him.

An unfortunate looking sneer crossed Amy's lips as she was hauled away by the blond and steered unceremoniously through a dusty looking tapestry of several witches brewing a disgusting looking potion in an old rusty cauldron.

Yanking her arm free from Draco's grip she turned her sneer on him. "What do you think you're doing Malfoy?" she hissed.

Skipping any sort of explanation Draco said "Don't mention Hogsmeade to Nott, it's all a game to him" to his own ears he sounded desperate.

Crossing her arms across her chest Amy quirked an eyebrow, but before she could continue Draco spoke again.

"He'll hurt you Amy, he only out for his own gain and you've just spent the last two hours leading him on, letting him think he has any sort of chance with you" He hadn't intended it to come out as a whine, a desperate plea to get her to listen to him.

Of course Amy had heard the rumours surrounding Theo Nott, but he had been nothing but nice to her, and she told Draco as much, causing the taller of the two to shake his head.

"You're not the one who has to listen to the things he says about a whole variety of girls, you included. It's incredibly demeaning."

"How do I know you're not just making this up?" she questioned, dismissing what he had just said.

"Why would I?" Draco challenged

"Why wouldn't you?"

Draco gave a quiet almost inaudible sigh before replying.

"I have no reason to" he admitted

Amy frowned, subconsciously stepping forwards, making the small gap between them even shorter "I have seen you do this to other people, therefore I wouldn't put it past you to do something like this to me, to invent something just to put me off some guy I might potentially like, a lot"

She was going to push him until he gave her the reason she was really looking for, Draco could see the determination, mixed with a hint of stubbornness brewing behind her eyes like a perfectly concocted potion.

"Now you're just looking for excuses and being ridiculous" he accused

"I am not" she retorted

"Are too"

"Am I?"

"Yes"

"So now I'm ridiculous?"

"That not what I said and you know it" Draco exclaimed "stop twisting my words and stop looking for a fight"

Amy scowled "well it's not exactly a secret you don't like him"

Draco sneered, frustrated because he was trying to stay nonchalant about this whole conversation and Amy could go out on a date with whomever she likes and he really wouldn't care. He was only getting so involved because it was Nott, and Nott was a nasty piece of work even by Draco's standards. But he knew that wasn't true, that wasn't the reason he was getting involved and frustrated.

"I'm saying it because you'd just be a quick fuck to him, an easy one too if you proposition him" Draco spat, towering over the small girl before his voice softened at the hurt expression that clouded her face "you don't deserve to be used like that"

"And what if I knew all of this beforehand?"

Draco gave her an incredulous look "then you'd be setting yourself up to be hurt"

"And that bothers you because..?"

"Because I don't want to see you hurt"

A small, faint, contented smile spread across Amy's lips making Draco realise he'd said what she wanted to hear all along.

"Then that would mean you care Draco"

The blonde threw her a dirty look, this was the most Slytherin he'd seen her act in a while.

"Of course I care" he mumbled.

Before Amy had the chance to say anything the tapestry was pulled open without warning, the slightly better light corridor assaulting then with a strong glow of light allowing Amy to see the vulnerability, mixed with something she couldn't describe behind Draco's eyes, which usually shone dark, cold, indifferent and uncaring.

The moment was short lived as Draco's attention turned to a giggling Daphne who seemed to have wrapped herself around Blaise. Realising who they'd stumbled upon, Blaise remarked "Well you too seemed to have made up"

The blonde shook his head minutely; answering the question he could see brewing on his friends lips. Turning to look back at Amy it struck him just how close they were and he could already see the clogs working in Blaise mind.

"I meant what I said Amy he will use you, and abuse you" before he turned and made his way out of the now over crowded alcove.

Blaise did not miss the way Draco's fingers brushed over Amy's wrist as he left, or the small hitch of surprise in her breathing.

"He may not be going about it the right way, warning you about Nott or dissuading you from going with him, but trust what he says is the truth, having to listen to Nott ramble on and on about you and a whole load of other girls he'd like to 'do' is truly disgusting" Blaise informed her, a knowing smile crossing his lips as he looked at Amy, who only seemed to be half listening to him, her eyes were fixed on a point just over his shoulder. Blaise was prepared to bet on his wand that she was staring at the spot Draco had left through.

"He had other reasons as well for not wanting you to go with Nott as well you know" This pulled Amy out of her musing as she stared at Blaise, but it was Daphne who explained.

"When we walked in here, I have never seen Draco look at someone the way he was looking at you, he never looked at Astoria in such a manor"

Confused Amy said "what?"

Daphne shrugged, "I only saw it for a minute, but he was looking at you as if you were the only girl in the world"

Blaise smirked and tightened his grip on Daphne's waist for a moment, silently giving his approval as to what she was doing.

Amy continued to stare at the youngest Greengrass sibling, but it was more than evident that her calculating mind was trying to decrypt just what Daphne had told her. After a minute or so, she excused herself.

Blaise rolled his eyes, placing his hands on Daphne's hips, turning her to face him. "I wonder how long it will take them to actually get together" he intoned, placing a kiss to the tip of Daphne's nose.


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

Draco had made his way back to the Slytherin dorms, and thrown himself unceremoniously upon his four poster bed. Amy had always been far too capable of getting what she wanted out of him. He knew this, yet every time she pushed, every time she went looking for an answer, he told her. He knew she knew which buttons to press, which tone of voice to use, how much emotion to inflict into a sentence, to show through her eyes. He fell for it, every time, hook line and sinker.

Mulling over his thoughts, something Blaise had said to him a short while ago came back to him, '_That girl you think you like and I know you like, you just brought her breakfast after spending a completely innocent night on the common room sofa with her.' _Blaise obviously meant Amy, Draco was more than sure of that, but how was he supposed to know if he did like her like that, in a totally non platonic way.

Feeling like he'd gone back two paces he ran his hand through his hair, leaving it capable of rivalling even the mop of black Harry Potter dared to call hair.

Less than a quarter of an hour ago he'd been unable to pretend like he didn't care who Amy liked and who she wanted to date, and he knew why he'd been unable to detach his emotions. The part of him that his father hadn't been able to brainwash by drilling everything pureblood into, the part of his brain he rarely listened to was squeaking at him, yelling the answer at him in a high pitched voice. _'It's because you care'. _

He couldn't deny that now, not after he'd told Amy that he did in fact care about her. He sighed, coming to two conclusions. One, he was dangerously close to falling in lo - he wouldn't let him mind take him down that alley, not right now - to falling for his eldest friend. And two, Zabini was frightfully insightful when it came to his relationship with Amy.

Amy had had the unfortunate luck of stumbling upon Theo during her search for Draco who appeared to have vanished. She'd not seen him since he'd left the alcove, and now it was lunch time, he'd missed all of his lessons that morning. She was hoping he'd be at the Slytherin table in his usual spot when Theo cornered her.

Before she'd had time to react to his presence, Theo had thrown his arm around her shoulders, steering her towards the corridor that lead to the kitchens.

"Rookwood! What happened to you after potions? It was like you disapparated". To Amy's ears, his voice was forced and overly cheerful.

"Sorry I got distracted" It wasn't exactly a lie.

"From something more important than me?" He questioned.

"Unfortunately, yes, I bumped into Snape and he wanted a word" ok, so that was a lie, but in giving him a vague answer she hoped he connected 'a word' with something to do with the Death Eaters, after all, he was even more up to his eyeballs in the dark arts and Voldemort than most of the slytherins were put together.

It appeared that he wasn't going to enquire any further, luck seemingly on her side.

"So I was wondering, have you thought anymore about my offer to Hogsmeade? You are barely talking to Malfoy so I doubt that you're still going with him".

Amy could feel the glee rolling off of him. He wasn't even trying to hide the creepy smile on his lips, which proved how pleased he was about that fact.

"No, we aren't going together, we never were" she admitted, not fazed by the scowl she was rewarded with for a second.

"Well that's a shame, but now that means you're not going with anyone, and I'd gladly take you." Amy did not miss the double entendre he threw at her.

"It doesn't bother me to not be going" she shrugged, a movement her mother would have scolded her for, but she wasn't at home at the minute.

"Well it bothers me, so come with me" he offered again.

Shaking her head Amy rejected him again "No thank you, I was planning on staying here anyway, after so many years Hogsmeade wears on you a bit."

Theo sighed, but it came across as very put on.

"You should come, I'll make it fun" He removed his arm from around her shoulders, placing it above her shoulder, resting against the wall, effectively bring them closer together, allowing him more of an opportunity to trap her between the wall and himself.

"No, I do not want to go with you" She placed her hands against his chest, pushing him back firmly.

Theo stumbled back, giving Amy the seconds she needed to remove herself from his grip.

It wasn't long enough, Theo grabbed her wrist, and hauled her back to him, pinning her against the wall.

"Come on Amy" he voice had taken on a dangerous, but at the same time amused, playful tone, like a predator toying with its latest catch. "We'll have a good time, I promise"

The leer on his face was unmistakable, causing an uncomfortable shiver to run down Amy's spine.

"I'm not so sure you could give me the good time I'm looking for" she informed him her voice cool, inflicted with sarcasm.

She was stuck, and with it being lunch time, no one was likely to venture down to the kitchens, not when the delicious food the house elves made was on the table, and it was all you could eat.

Resigned to this fact, Amy frowned. Pinned, she had no access to her wand, so she did the next best thing she could think of. She kneed him in the balls.

Nott instantly doubled over, clutching his pride and joy, instantly releasing her.

"Didn't your mummy ever tell you no means no?" Amy asked a triumphant smile on her face, before she turned and ran, her shoes clicking against the stone floor.

She ran until she reached the entrance hall, wanting to put room between herself and a very unhappy Theodore Nott.

Giving herself a minute to catch her breath, running a hand through her hair, straightening out any lose strands, causing them to fall back into place.

Making her way into the great hall, her eyes immediately sought out a head of platinum blonde hair. A head of platinum blonde that was undoubtedly missing from the sea of slytherins.

With a frown and a sigh, Amy spotted Blaise and Daphne, who were surrounded, much to her dismay, by Crabbe, Goyle, Parkinson, Bulstrode, and to Amy's surprise, Daphne's younger sister Astoria.

Moments after she sat down, Theo dropped into the space a few seats away, giving Amy a withering look, which turned into a smirk in the blink of an eye, before he turned to Astoria, speaking to her low tones which Amy couldn't hear.

Blaise quirked a questioning eyebrow in Amy's direction when he managed to catch her eye. He received a slight shrug of her shoulders in reply.

A part from when he arrived, Theo had paid no attention to Amy, or during the rest of the day. Even so, Amy was weary of him. She still hadn't seen hide or hair of  
>Draco since that morning.<p>

As it was, Draco had been held up all day in the room of requirement. He hadn't made much progress, and it was quickly becoming infuriated with the blasted cabinet.

As far as he was concerned, it was all Montague's fault that it no longer worked, if he was dumb enough to let the Weasley twins of all people push him into it, rendering him stuck in neither one place nor the other for weeks on end.

He sighed, slamming the cabinet door shut, which in the long run probably wouldn't help, but it couldn't do anymore damage that the Weasley's and Montague had inflicted.

If it wasn't for them, his task would be so much easier, and he could assure, more or less that he wouldn't be murdered at the end of his sixth year, would hopefully make it through the summer and come back to Hogwarts for his 7th year.

The room of requirement wasn't helping him in his plans. It had turned up a couple of books which gave him information on vanishing cabinets, but nothing about how to _fix_ them.

Is visit to the library had come up useless, Snape had taken to trying to offer him help and advice, but Draco had rebuffed him everything, refusing even to hint at what he was trying to do, and anyway, if what he was trying didn't work, he had back up plans set in place.

Running a hand through his already ruffled hair, untamed from its usual gel hold, his mind wasn't focused enough to even be attempting to repair the cabinet.

The tempus charm he cast told him it was well after dinner, he supposed he hadn't noticed because the room supplied him with food when he was hungry, and had given him something to drink when he was thirsty. No doubt the room has formed some sort of connection with the kitchens.

He knew he should return to the Slytherin common room, preferably before curfew, but he was in half a mind as to whether he wanted to see Amy or not, after all his morning admission, which went against everything that his father had ever taught him, had shown her a rather vulnerable side to him, and if she wanted, she could use it against him, which would be a very Slytherin thing to do.

It was an irrational fear, he knew, Amy had never given him reason to distrust her, but if she wanted to hurt him, she now held a playing card.

Realising just how ridiculous he sounded, Draco shook his head, he was being silly. Deciding, and _knowing_ he wouldn't get any further with his little mission, and seeing as he'd been 'missing' since that morning. With that reasoning in his head, he left the room and made his way down to the entrance hall, making a quick detour via the kitchens for supper.

Upon reaching the common room Draco was surprised to find that there seemed to be no trace of Amy or Blaise or Daphne or even the rest of the 6th year Slytherins. The sight of the common room practically devoid of any interesting 6th years disappointed Draco. The babble of the younger years disrupted, what, according to Draco should be a place of refined elegance with groups of cunning Slytherins plotting the downfall of those bloody Gryffindors, or better yet how to take over the world, one wizarding ministry at a time, or maybe just maybe trying to figure to hot to get an illicit black market running in Hogwarts and how to sustain it without the teachers ever catching on.

Well this was what he'd always imagined to be happening in the common room, his naive and impressionable imagination on fuelled on by the fact that his father had once told him that He Who Must Not Be Named and his trusty Death Eaters had steamed from a group on boys in this very common room. Of course once he grew up and saw it for his own eyes, these ideas abruptly left. But once in a while Draco would find himself remembering those memories and even rarer still, wishing that it was the case.

Shooing away a couple of 1st and 2nd years from the comfier leather settee, Draco settled in, dropping his bag lazily on the coffee table in front of him, allowing the warmth of the fire to pass over him, soothing any tension in his body, the light created by the fire and the few candles floating around casting his face into a sort f half shadow, which is how Blaise found him a good twenty minutes later, seemingly staring into nothing.

Taking a pew on the table in front of Draco, Blaise leant forwards ever so slightly, waiting for Draco to realise he was sitting opposite him. A slow smug look that would have been ugly on anybody else's features crept onto his face as he saw it dawn on Draco that someone dare sit so close to him and openly stare at him, before the many, many walls went up, locking Blaise firmly out of his inner secrets.

Draco had an extreme sense of déjà vu to find Blaise in front of him, his eyes betraying him to the boy in front of him as they slid to his side to find a rather empty spot next to him.

"She's still in the library, probably looking up the most horrendous hex she can find and use on Parkinson without getting into too much trouble." Blaise answered the unasked question that wouldn't leave Draco's lips.

"Ah," he started softly "you were in the library" he spoke, almost as if this was some grand discovery.

Blaise shrugged "we would have told you but you did quite a good vanishing act on us, one would have thought you'd disapparated if only for the fact that it's impossible in this castle."

"I had things to do" the blonde informed the olive skinned boy, remaining vague as ever, his voice returning to the silk like quality he had when he spoke.

"Things or people?" Blaise challenged just as the common room door swung open to omit more people, more people being the only interesting 6th years that existed.

"Things" Draco hissed as, upon spotting the unmistakable blonde head, made a direct beeline towards the duo.

"Draky!" came a rather familiar and very much unwanted squeal from Pansy as she descended upon him, "Where have you been hiding all day, I was looking for you"

"Around" he intoned, his eyes falling briefly upon Amy, before his view was obscured by Blaise who had seemingly thrown himself upon the sofa then proceeded to spread out, taking up a good two thirds of the sofa effortlessly wearing an incredibly fake, but nevertheless winning smile that was pointed in Pansy's direction.

If looks could kill then Pansy's glare would be classed as a look that could disintegrate. Although it seemed to have no affect on Blaise as he just kept smiling at her until she sat somewhere else.

Draco flashed his friend a thankful look, managing to not roll his eyes as Daphne perched herself upon his lap, ignoring the green tinted feeling of envy that tried to make its self known.

Everyone seated, Pansy having somehow managed to get her paws on one of the better arm chairs, Millicent and Theo sharing one of the other sofas comfortably, Blaise not so subtly removed his limbs from half of the sofa he'd been taking up, his foot reaching out to brush Amy's ankle in invitation.

Her hesitation was perceivable, her eyes moving from the space created between Blaise and Draco, to Draco's impossibly cold grey eyes which weren't looking all that cold at the moment, before she dropped onto the sofa, curling her feet underneath her, her body taught with tension before she relaxed, leaning into Draco slightly, who without even thinking about until caught Pansy's mutinous glare, wrapped his arm around her shoulders, causing her to relax completely and lean fully into him. He knew, as, unknowingly to him, did Blaise that Amy's mind had sought out the memory of them that morning behind the tapestry, standing closer to each other that had been strictly necessary.


End file.
